Wichita eagle., 1887-09-18
RAMBLEs ABOUT EUROPE.
From England to Egypt Especially for
the Eagle.

through the picturesque Apprentices to the
ancient city of Florence. Here in the
twelfth century originated a quarrel
between the pope and the emperor Of
Germany for the possession Of the city,
which eventually led to internecine strife
between the supporters of the former,
called Guelphs, and the adherents Of the
latter, distinguished as Ghibellines. which
ran through period of 143 years. After
ward, near the beginning of the fifteenth
century, the famous, or rather Infamous
! Medici family came into power, and
swayed the destinies Of the Florentines for
many years. Florence owes much Of its
present magnifcence and marvellous art
collections to two members of this family
who, like Louis of Bavaria, courted pop
ularity by catering to the aesthetic craze OF
their day. The city lies on both sides OF
the river Arno, the two parts being united
by four stone and good suspension bridges.
One of these bridges, built in 1345, COM
posed of three so lid arches, is unique in its
way. 1t is covered with jeweler and gold
smith shops. whilst above 1t is picture
gallery connecting the two palaces OF Uffezi
and Pitt. This long gallery contains no
less than 1900 paintings, mostly portraits,
being 600 more than are contained in the
national gallery of London. One peculiar
ity Of Florence lies In its streets, paved with
large flag stones, laid with as much care
and precision, and kept as scruplously
clean as the stone sidewalks In our large
American cities. The population is about
one hundred and sixty thousand, and since
it ceased to be the capital Of Italy in 1870,
has been going into gradual decline, bu
1t Is grand old place for the tourist to
revel, and In the winter, am told, offers
an asylum for invalids requiring a mild and
enervating climate second to no place In
southern Europe. This Is headquarters for
mosaics, and If one has penchant for this
style Of art, he can satisfy the innermost
cravings of his heart-providing they are
letter of credit. saw one mosaic table
that sold for one hundred and fifty thousand
dollars. ordered dozen of them on the
spot-in my mind.
At Venice "the party invested all their
small change in glass trinkets, the manu-
facture of which has been specially here
for six hundred years-one establishment
still in operation, having been founded in
the 18th century, but at Florence the ex-
quisite production of mOsaies, being al
most entirely in the hands of the Jews,
called out the reserved funds-a single
specimen. 8 inches by IL inches cost
ing as much as sixty francs. Fine jewelry
here is cheap, and of such ornate designs
as to create perfect hunger forit.
The drives are fine, and one in particular
seems to possess all the attributes which
ease, luxury and taste for the beautiful
and picturesque could demand. There was
the broad, whitish gray roadway, smooth
and level as billiard table, just sufficiently
arched to leave narrow strip of the blue
Italian sky for key stone. There were
charming villas, where the architect and
the landscape gardner had blended utility
with the ornamental in nature. There
were patches of woodland with dim con-
verging aisles, fountains and sculpture, and
q graceful curve in the road revealed the
rushing waters of the Arno, parallel with
whose bank the road now ran crossing one
of its historic bridges, then up the heights
in zig gag course, where terrace after
terrace led to the Piazzo Michael An.
gelo, handsome esplanade. with its mon
umert and copies Of Angeles works.
Here one obtains grand panoramic view
of the city lying at his feet. with the blue
range of the Apprentices in the distance,
The winding river, the vine clad hills, the
lowly cottage of the peasant and the en-
powered villas of the titled and wealthy |
I can draw no draft upon my memory
for fairer scene. From here you |
view the half destroyed walls Of the city. |
The dome Of the great cathedral looms up
n the foreground, dwarfng all objects
near 1t, save the Campanile, or Giotto's
bell tower, whose variegated marble encase-
nents, further enhanced In beauty by num-
,rous bas-relief and statueftes, rises square
y to the dizzy height Of 292 feet. Not far
away stands the ancient church Of ST. |
Croce; with its modern facade erected by |
he late Pope Pious * in 1857. Within
he walls of this edifice rest the bones of
Michael Angelo-patriot and soldier,
sculptor, architect and painter, the worlds
history records not his equal. Here like
wise sleeps Galileo-the frightened star In
Ill the galaxy Of science, Aachiavelli and
score of Others, whose memory is dear to
italian hearts, finds resting place here
90. In this are stored rare treasures of
.rt, and In the open square which the
church confronts Is colossal statue by
Dante. Farther along is the Ufizzo art
gallery, consisting of thirty large halls,
probably the finest art collection In the
world. The works Of the old masters are
numerous Next we cross the Vecchi
bridge before alluded to and enter the Pitt
palace, once the residence of the medici and
till occupied as such by royalty.
n this palace, erected In 1910. are some
100 superb paintings of priceless value
NJ o-o -onv fine marble sts.res and